Turn-button fastener



June 22, 1937. G A, HOLM ES 2,084,558

TURN BUTTON FASTENER Filed Oct. 2, 1935 s/ l I rave 21% 21.1 eogedlgmes wig Patented June 22, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l ac: 1,558 TURN-BUTTON FASTENER Application October 2, 1935, Serial No."43,234

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvementslin a fastening means for detachably securing a cowling or the like to a support such as the framework of an automobile or aeroplane.

In the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention:-

Figure 1 is a plan of the Cowling member of my fastening device viewed from outside thel cowling to which it is attached;

l Fig. 2 is a plan of the support member of my fastening device viewed from the inside of the support to which it is attached;

Fig. 3 is aside view of the support and support member with the cowling locked in position;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to that in Fig. 3, showing the Cowling positioned ready for nal locking engagement with the support;

Fig; 5 is aplan of the support member viewed from outside the support;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the Cowling member viewed from inside the cowling;

Fig. '7 is a section taken on the line 'I--l of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. l is a fragmentary section of the fastening members in locked position; and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the 4spring-retaining means.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and impro-ved means for detachably securing a Cowling, used in connection with an automobile lor aeroplane, to a supporting part. I do not wish to limit my invention to such uses because there are many other purposes to which it Could be advantageously applied, but as my fastening device is especially adapted, because of its easy operation, firm holding qualities and other improved features, to a Cowling installation, it is best described in connection with the same.

The fastening device which I have employed to carry out the above objects, the particular features of which will be more fully set forth below, consists of a fastener of a modified turn-button type, one part of which is attachedto a supporting plateand its cooperating part assembled with thecowling. In the following description the part carried by the support will be referred to as the support member, and the part carried by the cowling as the Cowling member.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, I have shown in Fig. 3 a Cowling plate I and a supporting plate 2 secured together by means of my improved fastening device of which only that part of the fastener secured to the supporting plate is visible. The cooperating cowling member, comprising the socket part of my device,'has one end located in and concealed by the support member and the other end lying flush with the outside surface of th cowling plate.

Referring particularly to the support member of my fastening device, I have shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 8 a supporting plate 2 having a relatively large aperture 4. A cup-shaped eyelet is provided having the flanges 6 overlying the inside face of the plate so that the eyelet may be secured to the plate by any suitable means such as the rivets 'I'. When the eyelet issecured in correct position, the open end is in alignment with the aperture 4 of the support. The closed end of the eyelet is provided with a square `aperture as at 8 and a groove 9 (Figs. 2 and 7) extending the width of the closed end for the purposes which will be hereinafter described.

Located within the eyelet 5 is a stud member adapted for fastening engagement with the cooperating socket member carried by the Cowling plate I. The stud member in my preferred form, as best illustrated in Fig. '7, has a T-shaped head having the end portions I0 and the intermediate portion II. The end portions I0 are slightly bevelled ori opposite sides as at I2. The intermediate portion II extends away from the end portions I0 to form the square stem portion I3 which is reduced in width from the portion II and positioned between the portion II and a threaded shank I4.

I have also provided within the eyelet a retaining member I5 which is assembled with the stud member and adapted for cooperative fastening engagement with means located on the cowling memberto prevent the unintentional disengagement of the members when they are in locked position. The member I5, as best illustrated in Fig. 11, is preferably circular in shape comprising a at metal washer-like plate having a square aperture I6 disposed in the center.

yTwo spring arms I1 formed from the material of the plate are bent outwardly in a gradual slope from the plane of the plate and extend in the same direction. Groove-like indentations I8 are provided in the spring arms in close proximity to the free ends thereof, and the relatively small projections I9 are struck up from the arms between the grooves I8 and the free ends for the purpose which will be hereinafter more fully described.

In assembling the parts of the support member together, the member I5 is placed within the eyelet 5 adjacent to the groove 9 located at the bottom of the eyelet so that the aperture I8 is in alignment with the aperture 8 0f the eyelet bottom. The spring arms I'I extend in the direction of the open end of the cup, as shown in Fig. '7. The shank Iii of the stud member is then passed through the square apertures of the retaining member and eyelet bottom until the re1- atively square stem portion I3 is seated within the said apertures, in which position the intermediate portion II will bear upon the walls surrounding the aperture I6 serving to space the end portions I0 from the member I5.

A's a result of this assembly, the threaded shank I4 will pass through the bottom of the eyelet a suicient distance to allow the washer 2Il and the nut 2I to be engaged therewith. The free end of the shank vI4 may then be headed over to prevent any unloosement of the nut and, by means of this fastening arrangement, the stud and retaining members are rigidly secured to the eyelet. The square construction of the stem and apertures serves to prevent any rotation of the parts during the tightening of the nut on the shank or during the engaging operation of the fastener members.

The cowling I is provided at spaced intervals with the apertured tubular-shaped portions 22 which are drawn out of the cowling plate as best illustrated in Fig. 9. Seated within the portions 22 and adapted to rotate therein are the cowling members whichf'as shown in Fig. 9, include a circular eyelet 23, the sides of which are curved out slightly to follow the direction of the walls of the tubular portion 22. A cap member 24 is secured over the open end of the eyelet 23 having a flange 25 which' extends for a predetermined distance along the sides of the eyelet toward the bottom 26 of the eyelet. The bottom of the eyelet is slightly flanged as at 21, whereby an annular groove 28 is formed on the sides of the cowling member between the flange 2l and the free ends of the flange 25 of the cap 2d.

When the socket member is located in the portion 2'2,"ff f;he-:1surface of the cap will lie substaritiallyv 'flush with the plane of the cowling plate and the eyelet portion will extend through the portion 22 so that the groove 28 will lie outside the tubular portion of the cowling plate. A split ring 29 is located within the groove 218 and adapted to engage the free walls of the portion 22, thereby preventing the cowling member from slipping backwardly out of its seat. A slot 30 is provided in the surface of the cap (Figs. 1 and 9) adapted to receive a coin or other means for rotating the member. j

In the bottom surface 28 of the eyelet 23, I have formed an oblate aperture 3l shaped to pass the head of the stud member. Projections 32 are located at opposite diagonal corners of the aperture adjacent to the edges of the aperture.

In fastening the parts ll and 2 together, the cowling member is entered through the aperture 4 of the plate 2 and into the eyelet of the support member so that the oblate aperture all will pass the head of the stud member. In this position the parts will appear substantially as shown in Fig. 4. Then by a coin or other suitable tool tlte cowling member is turned approximately so that the aperture 3l is spanned by the head of which isv the stud member. The slot 30 will now take the position illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

During the aforementioned turning action,

material of the inner face of the bottom 26 ofthe eyelet 23 adjacent the aperture 3I engages and rides over the bevelled portions I2 of the end portions I0 thereby causing a camming action which draws the plates I and 2 adjacent to each other as shown in Fig. 3. Also, during the turning action the projections 32 engage the sloping arm portions Il of the retaining member I5 vand contract the spring arms by a camming action until the aperture 3I is spanned by the stud, at which time the projections snap into the grooves I8 and are held therein by spring action. While the projections and the retaining member are engaged in this manner, it is impossible for the stud member to be unintentionally disengaged from the socket member, detachment of the members being possible only by turning the socket in a direction opposite to that by which the members were engaged, during which backward rotation the reverse of the foregoing action'will take place. The projections I9 adjacent to the ends of the spring arms prevent the projections 32 of the cowling member from The great improvement of my invention over l previous inventions of the same class lies in the i fact that there are no stresses up'on the retaining member in no matter to what use the fastener may be put. All strains and stresses are taken up by the stud and material surrounding the socket aperture 26 with the result that a much stronger and more reliable fastener is provided. Furthermore, since the stud is rigid, axial separating stresses between the parts are taken up by the rigid stud and there is no yielding action against a spring, as has been the case in previously used fasteners of the turn-button type.

Due to the fact that the outside face of the ,1,

cowling member lies flush with the cowling plate, the fastening offers no wind resistance and for that reason is especially useful for aeroplane purposes.

While I have described a preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that changes involving omission, substitution, alteration and reversal of parts may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, which is best dened in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A fastening device comprising parts to be fastened together, and separate co-engaging fastening members, one of said members mounted on one of said parts having a shouldered stud rigidly assembled therewith, the other of said members swivelly mounted on the other of said parts and having an aperture "to receive said stud and also having means adjacent to said aperture for engagement with the shouldered stud by turning said last member to detachably fasten saidparts together.

2. A fastening device comprising parts to be fastened together, and separate co-engaging fastening'members, one of said members mounted on one of said parts having a shouldered stud rigidly assembled therewith, the other of said members swivelly mounted on the 'other ofsaid parts and having an aperture to receive said stud adapted to be spanned by the shoulder of saidv stud when said last'member is in one position, and said members having co-acting engaging means to prevent the unintentional rotation of said last member when said aperture is spanned by said shoulder.

3. In combination with a pair of apertured parts, a fastening device comprising a cup-shaped eyelet mounted on one plate in alignment with the aperture therein, a shouldered stud member rigidly secured Within said eyelet, and an apertured socket member swivelly mounted within the aperture of said other part, the aperture of said socket member adapted to receive said stud member in one position ofy said socket member and also having means adjacent to said aperture to engage the shoulder of said stud in another position of the socket member to secure the parts together.

4. In combination with a pair of apertured parts, a fastening device comprising acup-shaped eyelet mounted on one plate in alignment with the aperture therein, a T-shaped stud member having a head portion and a stem portion secured within said eyelet, and a socket member swivelly mounted Within the aperture of said other part and extending through the aperture of said first part into said eyelet, the portion of said socket member facing said eyelet having an oblate opening therein adapted to receive the head of said stud member in one position of said socket member and be spanned by the head of said stud member in another position of the socket member to secure the parts together.

5. In combination with a pair of apertured parts, a fastening device comprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on one part in alignment with the aperture therein, a shouldered stud member rigidly secured within said eyelet and a socket member swivelly mounted within the aperture of said other part, said socket member having an aperture adapted to receive said stud member in one position of said socket member and said aperture surrounded by a wall portion adapted to engage the shoulders of said stud in another position ofv said socket member to secure the parts together, and said stud and socket members having coacting engaging means associated therewith whereby the socket member is locked against unintentionaldisplacement` When said shoulders are engaged by said wall portion.

6. In combination with a pair of apertured parts, a fasteningu device ycomprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on one plate in y' alignment with the aperture therein, a T-shaped stud-member having a head portion and a stem portion secured within said eyelet, a retaining means located within said eyelet, and a socket member swivelly mounted within the aperture said socket member and be spanned by the headl of -said stud member in another position to secure the parts together and said socket member having an element engaging said retaining means for the purpose of locking the socket member against unintentional displacement when said aperture is spanned by said head.

1 7. In combination with a pair of apertured parts, a fastening device comprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on one plate in alignment with the aperture therein, a shouldered studv member rigidly secured within said eyelet and a retaining member assembled therewith, said retaining member comprising a metal plate having spring portions bent from the plane of said plate, said spring portions having grooves in the marginal ends thereof, and a socket member swivelly.

mounted within the aperture of said other part and extending through the aperture of said first forced into said grooves and held therein against l unintentional rotation of said socket member 'when said stud member is engaged by said wall 8. In combination with a pair .of apertured parts, a fastening device comprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on one plate in alignment with the aperture therein, an apertured retaining means within said eyelet, a stud member having a head and stem portion, saidv stem portion extending through the aperturel of saidvretaining means and said eyelet and means rigidlysecuring said stud member to said eyelet whereby all the parts are in assembled relation,

andan apertured socket member swivelly mounted within the aperture of said other part and extending through the aperture vof said first part into said eyelet, the aperture of said socket ,member adapted to receive the head' of said stud member in one position and be spanned by said head in another position, said socket member having integral elements engaging said retaining means whereby said socket member is locked against unintentional displacement when said aperture is spanned by said head.

9. In combination with a pair of apertured parts, afastening device comprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on one plate in alignment with the aperture therein, a retaining means located within said eyelet and adjacent to the bottom thereof, said means comprising an apertured plate and grooved spring portions bent from the material of said plate out of the plane of said plate, a stud member having a T-shaped head and a stem portion extending from said head through the apertures of said plate and s aid eyelet and means securing said stud member to said eyelet whereby all the parts are in assembled relation, and a socket member swivelly mounted withinv the aperture of said other part and extending through the aperture of said first part into said eyel-et, said socket member having an apertured face 'opposite said eyelet adapted to receive said head in one position and be spanned by said head in another position, said face having integral projections adapted for camming engagement with said spring portions during rotation of said socket member whereby said projections are snapped A into said grooves, said grooves and projections cooperating to prevent unintentional rotation of said socket member when said aperture is spanned by said head, and said socket member .having means whereby said member may be rotated for engagement and disengagement with said stud member. 10. In combination with a part having an aperture and a part having an apertured tubular portion drawn from said latter part, a fastening device comprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on said iirst part in alignment with the aperture therein, a shouldered stud member rigidly secured within said eyelet and a socket member swivelly mounted within said tubular portion, said socket member comprising a cupshaped eyelet having a cap portion adapted to lie flush with the outside surface of said latter part, said eyelet having an aperture surrounded by a wall portion, said member having means whereby it is secured within said tubularl portion and means connected with said cap for rotating said socket member thereby to engage said wall portion with said stud member, and said stud and socket members having coacting engaging means associated therewith whereby the socket member is locked against unintentional displacement when said Wall is engaged by said stud.

l1. n combination' with a part having an aperture and a part having an apertured tubular portion drawn from said latter part, a fastening device comprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on said rst part in alignment with the aperture therein, a shouldered stud member rigidly secured within said eyelet, a retaining Y member having a pair of spring arms extending in the same direction located within said eyelet and assembled with said stud, and a socket member swivellyy mounted within said tubular portion, said socket member comprising a cupshaped eyelet having a bottom and side walls bent to iollowthe contour of said tubular portion, a cap secured to the open end of said eyelet, said cap portion lying flush with the outside surface of said part and having a tool-receiving slot located therein, said member having means whereby it is secured within said tubular portion, the bottomof said eyelet having an oblate yopening thereinja wall portion adjacent to said opening adapted for fastening engagement with said stud member, 'and projections located :at opposite diagonal corners of said opening adjacent tosaid opening adapted to engage said retaining member ior the purpose of locking the socket member against unintentional displace` ment when said stud is engagedipy said wall portion. f

i2. A fastening device comprising parts to be fastened together, and separate. co-engaging fas- .tener membersmounted on said parts, one of said members having a shouldered stud rigidly assembled therewith,I the other of said members having an aperture to receive said stud and adapted to be spanned `by the shoulder of said stud when said members (are in proper relative positions, one fof said members being rotatably mounted on its respective part, andsaid members having co-acting engaging means to prevent the vunintentional rotation of Lsaid rotatably' accette stud rigidly secured within said eyelet, and a socket member swivelly mounted within the aperture of said other part,=the portion of said socket member facing said eyelet having, an'v opening therein, said socket member' adapted to be rotated whereby said wall will movably engage said stud until said opening is spanned by said stud, and said socket 'member having projections adapted to engage and ride over the bevlled construction of said stud during rst engagement of said wall-,by said stud whereby said apertured parts are drawnadjacent to each other.. K

when said members are in fastened relation, and v said socket member having projections adapted to engage and ride over said bevelled construction during rst rotation of said socket member whereby saidv plates are drawn adjacent to each other, and said projections adapted Ato engage .said retaining member during further rotation of said socket member for the purpose of locking the socket member against unintentional displacement when said-members are in final iastened relation.

15. In combination with apair of apertured parts, a fastehing device comprising an apertured cup-shaped eyelet mounted on one plate in alignment with the aperture therein, a retaining means located within said eyelet and adjacent to the bottoni thereof, said means comprising an apertured plate and grooved spring portions bent from the imaterial of said plate out of the plane of said plate, a stud member having a T-shaped head and a stem portion extending from said`head`throughr the apertures of said plate and said eyelet, said head having a bevelled construction on opposite sides thereof, andjmeans securing said studmember to said eyelet whereby all the parts are in assembledrelation, and a socket member swivelly mounted within the aperture of said'other part, said socket ymember havingan apertured face adapted .to receive said -head in one position and said socket member adapted to rotate whereby said/face is spanned by said head in final position; Said face having integral projections adapted to engage and ride over said bevelled construction of said head dur-V ing rst rotative movements of said socket member whereby said aperturedparts are drawn adjacent to each other by a camming action,

and said projections adaptedV for camrning enl gagement with said spring portions during further rotative movements oi said socket memberf whereby said projections are snappedinto said grooves, said grooves and projections ,cooperat-v ing to prevent unintentional rotation of said socket member when said aperture-is spanned by said head. 4

v y rGEORGE A. HOLMES. 

